Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
37 mpgcombined; city 35, highway 40; every version of this model year; plug-in hybrid versions on gasoline, 93 MPGe on electricity
Five years of fuel
$11,000EPA's own estimate for plug-in hybrids: its national gasoline and electricity prices and the share of miles it expects on electricity; not priced for any state; every version of this model year; fuel only, 15,000 miles a year
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2011 Volt. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 49 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Volt. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Electrical system
23
1
0
1
Air bags
8
1
0
1
Fuel/propulsion system
6
0
0
0
Engine
4
0
0
0
Power train
3
0
0
0
Service brakes
3
2
0
1
Steering
3
0
0
0
Seats
2
0
0
0
Suspension
2
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
1
0
0
0
Hybrid propulsion system
1
0
0
0
7 more parts
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
Structure
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Unknown or other
1
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Wheels
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2011 Volt over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Electrical system: ignition; Engine and engine cooling: engine
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Volt vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, to June 26, 2013. If the driver exits the vehicle without turning off the electrical system, the battery may drain low enough that the gasoline engine will automatically start itself to recharge the electric battery.
Risk: If the engine runs for an extended period of time in an enclosed space, there may be a build up of carbon monoxide, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software to limit the time that the stationary vehicle can be left in the ON position, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14617.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 1,714 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2011 Volt, the latest on Sep 4, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (680), electrical system (535), engine and engine cooling (150), power train (137), engine (97).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2011 Volt.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: compact cars. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Volt Front-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Premium Gasoline or Electricity 35 miles on electricity, 380 miles in all
35 / 40 / 37 on gasoline 93 MPGe on electricity
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data